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Marion, IN Tornado History — 98 Tornadoes Since 1950

Indiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Marion, IN had?

Marion has had 98 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 14 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Marion?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Marion was an EF2 on April 2, 2025.

When is tornado season in Marion?

April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Marion, with 26 on record. April through June account for 57 of the 98 tornadoes on record near Marion.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
98
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
14
14.3% of total
Peak Month
April
26 on record
Per Year Avg
1.3
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Marion

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 35 total, averaging 1.8 per year over this window.

2026 0+4 prelim
2025 2
2024 0
2023 3
2022 1
2021 0
2020 0
2019 4
2018 1
2017 1
2016 7
2015 0
2014 0
2013 6
2012 0
2011 3
2010 4
2009 0
2008 2
2007 1

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Marion since December 29, 2025

These are 4 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary July 27, 2026
1 NNW Sweetser, Grant County, IN
Ground and drone surveys found a swath of sporadic wind damage from Sweetser to Marion and near Gas City Indiana. Within this swath... evidence of a weak... disorganize (IWX)
Preliminary June 12, 2026
Pleasant Plain, Huntington County, IN
A tornado touched down north of Pleasant Plain... at a residence on S 500 W. Here... nearly two dozen trees were damaged... including multiple trees snapped at least ha (IWX)
Preliminary June 12, 2026
3 SW Wabash, Wabash County, IN
A tornado touched down in the vicinity of W 400 S and S 300 W on the southwest edge of Wabash. At this location... a number of wood power poles were snapped at the base (IWX)
Preliminary March 26, 2026
3 SSW Banquo, Huntington County, IN
A survey of damage indicated a brief tornado was confirmed within a swath of wind damage south of Banquo. The circulation touched down just east of S 1000 W35 and N of (IWX)

Within 25 miles of Marion. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Marion

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Marion and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 2, 2025 and the most recent on April 2, 2025. It is already counted in the Marion totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

EF1° April 3, 2025
5 NW Ball State Univers, Delaware County, IN
An EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 100 mph and a path length of 5.81 miles was a secondary tornado that tracked south of the main tornado. Sporadic damage suggests circ (IND)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 8
1960s 17
1970s 12
1980s 5
1990s 8
2000s 16
2010s 26
2020s 6

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 28
EF1 33
EF2 23
EF3 11
EF4 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 10
Apr 26
May 16
Jun 15
Jul 9
Aug 4
Sep 1
Oct 5
Nov 10
Dec 2

Casualties on Record Near Marion

35 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Marion since 1950, across 6 events. 1,237 injuries have been reported across all events. 1965 was the deadliest year on record near Marion.

The deadliest single event was an F4 on April 11, 1965, which caused 25 fatalities along a 48.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Marion

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on April 11, 1965 — 25 fatalities, 48.0 mi path, 880 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on April 11, 1965 — est. ~$275.0M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on July 9, 1951 — 1,760 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on April 9, 1953 — 156.7 mile track.
Most Recent
EF2 on April 2, 2025.

What the record shows near Marion

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Marion, with 26 of the 98 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 6 so far. The Marion record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Marion, 61 reached EF0 or EF1 and 37 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Marion is rated EF4, of which 3 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Marion has averaged 1.8 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 35 in total. 2016 was the busiest of them with 7, and 8 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Marion, IN had?
Since 1950, 98 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Marion. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Marion?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Marion was an F4 on April 11, 1965, which caused 25 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Marion?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Marion, with 26 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
Has Marion been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Marion, there have been 0 EF5 and 3 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Marion?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Marion was an EF2 on April 2, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Marion?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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